Avalanche Blog Tour

About the Book

Book:  Avalanche
Author: M. Liz Boyle
Genre:  Christian YA
Release Date: September 27, 2019

When fifteen-year-old Marlee Stanley joins her two sisters and the sons of their family friends on a secretive hike in the middle of the night, she is thrilled and nervous. Battling her conscience, she prays that the hike will go flawlessly and that they will return to the safety of their campsite before their parents wake. The start of the hike is beautiful and wonderfully memorable.

In a white flash so fast that Marlee can barely comprehend what has happened, an avalanche crashes into their path. Buried in packed snow, Marlee is forced to remember survival tips learned from her dad and her own research.

This group of friends, ages eleven through seventeen, is about to endure bigger challenges than many adults have experienced. Digging out of the packed snow is only the first of many challenges. Injuries, cold, hunger, fatigue, aggressive wildlife and tensions in the group make this a much bigger adventure than they ever imagined. As the kids strive to exhibit Christian values throughout the trials, they learn numerous life lessons. But they are nearly out of food, and their energy is waning quickly. How will they ever reach help?

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My Review

Boyle's debut novel is a good one for youth. It is full of mountain adventure and character revealing experiences. It is especially suited for youth who like outdoor adventures such as hiking and mountain climbing. There is a range of ages involved so this novel would appeal to elementary age through high school.

There are two aspects of the novel I really liked. One is the amount of information included about hiking in the mountains. Boyle gives plenty of details about equipment used and what to do if disaster strikes, like an avalanche, for example. The other aspect is the Christian faith of the kids. It is great. Boyle developed the faith so it is a natural and essential part of the young people and their experiences.

My favorite character is Lydie. At eleven years old, she has a wisdom far beyond her years. Her insights and quips really added to the story.

I enjoyed the novel and all the interaction among the young people. They certainly behaved like teens! There is a link in the digital edition I read for discussion questions so it would be a good choice for a teen reading group.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author

Liz is an author, the wife of a professional tree climber and the mom of three energetic and laundry-producing children. She received her Associate’s of Arts at the University of Sioux Falls, where she received the LAR Writing Award for her essay entitled, “My Real Life Mufasa.” Liz once spent a summer in Colorado teaching rock climbing, which she believes was a fantastic way to make money and memories. She resides with her family in Wisconsin, where they enjoy hiking and rock climbing. Liz and her husband have also backpacked in Colorado and the Grand Canyon, which have provided inspiration for her writing. She likes making adventurous stories to encourage others to find adventures and expand their comfort zones (though admittedly, she still needs lots of practice expanding her own comfort zone). She has thoroughly enjoyed working on her first novel, Avalanche, and the sequel Chased, which will release in the summer of 2020.

More from Liz

Have you ever been tempted to take a risk even though your conscience was screaming at you? Were you able to justify the pursuit of the thrill, actually convincing yourself that what you knew to be the unwise decision made perfect sense?

I did. So did my sisters. And so did Sawyer and Marshall Miles. When Sawyer first proposed the idea of the moonlit summit on our families’ annual backpacking trip, I was terrified. But I was also hooked. Sawyer convinced us that we would be fine, and we would be back to camp before our parents woke up with the sunrise.

Hearts racing and hands trembling, we five kids snuck away from camp in the middle of the night. Hiking toward the peak, the full moon was breathtaking, the wildlife abundant, and the experience unreal.

It became a whole lot more unreal when an avalanche, roaring, white and enormous, thundered into our path. Buried in the packed snow, I would have given anything to go back in time and change my decision to go along with this foolish idea.

Digging out of the cemented snow was the first of many challenges in the coming days. Physically, emotionally and spiritually, we were all pushed to our limits.

I had always loved hiking Colorado’s peaks. But, of course, I had never had to evacuate my own sister. I had always trusted Dad’s orienteering. Now I had to trust Sawyer, who, by the way, was the brain behind this dilemma. I usually slept best while backpacking. But, mountain nights are warmer when spent in a sleeping bag. But I can’t let my mind go there. I must keep a positive outlook and trust God to bring us to safety. That’s easier said than done.

Avalanche is a Christian teen and young adult novel. This engaging journey, told by fifteen-year-old Marlee Stanley, captures a timeless sense of adventure. The five young adults strive to exhibit godly character throughout their escapade, but they have not been in such a dire situation before. It will take immense strength and cooperation to hike out of this mess.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 9

Remembrancy, May 10

Library Lady's Kid Lit, May 11

For the Love of Literature, May 12

Life love writing, May 12

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, May 13

Lukewarm Tea, May 14 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 14

Texas Book-aholic, May 15

Inklings and notions, May 16

For Him and My Family, May 17

deb's Book Review, May 18

Blossoms and Blessings, May 19 (Author Interview)

Rebecca Tews, May 19

Lots of Helpers, May 20

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 21

Spoken from the Heart, May 22

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)